£100 SPOT FINES FOR LEAVING YOUR BINS OUT ON THE WRONG DAY:

REPEAT OFFENDERS FACE PENALTY IF THEY IGNORE WARNINGS

PEOPLE who leave their bins out for collection on the wrong days are set to be hit with £100 on-the-spot fines.

The new policy, approved by Gwynedd Council’s cabinet last Tuesday, could see repeat offenders given fixed penalty notices if prior warnings are unheeded.

The move follows concerns that such containers were blocking pavements and causing a safety hazard as well as being unsightly.

As a result, the council will now undertake a county-wide promotion campaign to raise awareness of the waste and recycling arrangements.

This will include “QR code” stickers being placed on boxes and bins to allow 24 hour reminders of waste collection days and what items can be recycled.

However, there will also be a particular focus on Bangor, with officers acknowledging the heavy student population and differing demography to the rest of the county. Cllr Catrin Wager, the portfolio holder for Municipal Services and who represents the city’s Menai ward, told the meeting in Caernarfon that the new policy had been designed to tackle the issues raised “whilst also being fair,” stressing that fines would only be used as a “last resort.”

“There have been concerns in some communities for some time about bins and recycling boxes being left out on the street throughout the week, obstructing pavements and generally having a negative effect on how communities look,” she said.

“In some areas, bins left out for days after collection can cause a real issue for parents with prams and disabled people who have to go out into the highway due to bins blocking pavements.

“After a detailed investigation by members of the Council’s Scrutiny Committee, we aim now to encourage residents to make the best use of the waste and recycling collections we offer, and to tackle some specific problems.”

She added: “I believe that the vast majority of the issues identified can be dealt with by encouraging residents to put their bins out for collection day only, and by doing more to raise awareness and educate people about the various collections on offer.

“Our priority will be to work with residents and businesses to overcome any problems. Then, only as a last resort when all other avenues have been exhausted would we consider the need for enforcement action in those instances where residents continue to ignore the advice provided.”

But in response to concerns that recycling trucks were responsible for littering in their own right, Cllr Wager went on to note that proposed changes in shift patterns would see refuse staff allocated particular communities which was hoped would see staff “take ownership” of their areas.

It was added that the changes, which have already been in place in Dwyfor since July, have seen a sharp reduction of such complaints.

Cllr Dilwyn Morgan said: “I welcome what’s being proposed that we don’t want to be heavy handed but to work with communities.

“We certainly need to go after the plague of bins being left out on streets seven days a week though.”